1967–Mike

Albums

1. Jimi Hendrix Experience–Are You Experienced? We’ve heard these songs a million times on FM radio, right? But rarely, if ever, have I pulled out the album and listened to it start to finish. I’ve played “Axis–Bold as Love” a heck of a lot more throughout my life since purchasing it on 8 track in 7th grade, and it holds a special place in my heart for that reason alone. That may be why listening to “Are You Experienced?” again this month took my breath away. It is so familiar, yet listening to it in its entirety, so new. Youtube doesn’t do this justice. Spotify version sounds pretty damn good. Did I really, some time back, manage to post a list of guitar solos without including one from this album? Shoot me.
2. The Velvet Underground & Nico. Every song, maybe especially “Heroin.”
3. Love–Forever Changes.
4. The Doors. I remember when it was not cool to like this album. Imagine that. The least heralded songs–Back Door Man (one of my top B1 tracks of all time, I think I might have mentioned before), Crystal Ship, Alabama Song–are just as good as the well-recognized greats like “Break on Through” (what a first track!), etc. Tim noted Densmore’s drumming a few months ago. Check “Touch Me” again. It always surprised me how little they were able to accomplish after Morrison’s passing, such a great band.
5. The Kinks–Something Else by the Kinks. So many great songs.
6. The Beatles–Magical Mystery Tour. It might actually be “Flying” that pushes this over the edge of greatness for me. Weird, huh?
7. Aretha Franklin–Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Includes several of the great songs of this or any year, including the title track, the vocals rapturous (is that a word?) and the band, well christ, every element is just perfection: the organ, piano, bass, drums, the backing vocals, the guitar. The fucking horns!
8. Pink Floyd–Piper at the Gates of Dawn. I swear this music we listen to, it generates its own electricity. It could solve the world’s energy crisis, couldn’t it? Astronomy Domine; proof.
9. Pete La Roca–Turkish Women at the Bath. The biggest surprise for me this month. This was re-released in 1973 as the Chick Corea “Bliss” album, which is what I have but had never listened to before this month. John Gilmour and Corea do shine here, but La Roca wrote many of these songs, all spell-binding and beautiful. Start with the title track, but also check out “Bliss” and all the rest, available on Spotify along with his other brilliant album, “Basra” (released in ’65). What a find.
10. Sun Ra–We Travel the Spaceways. Feels a little bit strange to select this as a top ten album from 1967, in spite of the fact that it consists of recordings from the late 50’s. But as this is a go-to album from one of my favorite artists of all-time, and I don’t think I’ve had an opportunity to sing his praises yet on this space, I couldn’t resist including it. Some Ra fans will find this to lack some of the experimentation or freedom of his later work, but elements of that can still be found here, alongside several of his greatest melodies, such as Tapestry for an Asteroid.

I’ll try to get to a song listing soon. Here’s a list of the top 50 albums I own from 1967.

Mike’s Notable Covers

When the Levee Breaks–Led Zeppelin (Original: Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie). A good cover song for me requires at least one of two qualities: 1. It must transform the original and/or 2. It must somehow get inside the original. If the cover does neither of these two things, it isn’t tribute, it is derogation. It is U2’s abominable Helter Skelter. I don’t want to get into the many, many songs that Led Zep never bothered attributing; I’m not entirely sure that they ever wrote an original song. But, they completely transformed everything they touched, none more than this.

At Last I Am Free–Robert Wyatt (Original: Chic). Throughout his solo career Wyatt has offered unique takes on popular songs (I’m a Believer), little known songs from popular artists (Elvis Costello’s Shipbuilding) and arcana (Stalin Wasn’t Stalling). His version of the Chic song unearths its best qualities.

America—Yes (Original: Simon & Garfunkel). The original really could not be more perfect, and while this version barely resembles it, it takes full advantage of the gorgeous melody to create an equally beautiful statement. I know this group isn’t universally admired here (am I alone?). I love how much Howe takes liberties in the recreation—his incredibly unique guitar lines, then Squire’s power and Bruford’s proficiency.

Contempt–Naked City (Original: Georges Delerue). One of my very favorite pieces of music… I’d never heard the original Delerue composition that appeared in the Godard film before hearing this. The Delerue expresses mournfulness. Zorn couples that with longing and emotion with his sax lines.

Blue Moon of Kentucky–Elvis Presley (Original: Bill Monroe). The definition of transformation.

Big Joe and Phantom 309–Tom Waits (Original: Red Sovine). Another favorite song. The original is great. The cover, nothing like it!

Mack the Knife–Dave Van Ronk (edit: It’s not a cover of the Darin version, but I like that one too. Here’s the original: Brecht/Weill, Lotte Lenya version).

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face–Roberta Flack (Original: Ewan Maccoll). Everything I love about a cover. A unique voice captures the essence of the original but brings to light intrinsic qualities not emphasized in the original.

Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain–Willie Nelson (Original: Roy Acuff)

Wild Is the Wind–Nina Simone (Original: Johnny Mathis). Live at Town Hall version. First recorded by Johnny Mathis for the film of the same name. The sensitivity of this performance breaks my heart. Other good covers: Bowie’s, Cat Power’s).

I Am the Walrus–Spooky Tooth (Original: The Beatles). You may remember how I love this. The Boris cover that dogonab lists is of course a cover of this inimitable Spooky Tooth version, not so much a cover of the original.

Little Wing–Gil Evans (Original: Jimi Hendrix)

Favorite Tribute Albums

Soupsongs Live: The Music of Robert Wyatt. Attributed to various artists but it is really Annie Whitehead’s band with a few others including Phil Manzanera and Julie Tippett.

Ubu Dance Party: A Tribute to the Music of Pere Ubu. It’s unlikely as hell – 38 bands from Ohio that you’ve never heard of, only a half dozen of which might have an official release under their belts – cover the greatest Ohio band of them all, and it works. As I recall, this was put together to benefit a musician who thought up the idea but found himself in a hospital for an extended period midway through. Must be a hell of a guy because, and not to get too sloppy about it, you can feel the love throughout. I don’t think there’s a straight cover to be found here and it’s the better for it. Well done, all, by God, and if you ever happen by one of these bands in a smoke-filled beer hall in an East Cleveland dive raise a glass to ’em because once they did a damn bit of great.

Buck Owens–Sings Tommy Collins. Somewhere around the beginning of Buck’s career he was Tommy’s guitarist. I’ll have a good time seeking out the originals as well as other, in some cases more famous, versions of these great songs. Meanwhile, this serves as a great entry point to the greatness of Buck and his Buckaroos.

Asleep at the Wheel–Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. (Blues for Dixie)

I love this theme, but when I started searching for supergroups, I realized that I don’t like any of them apart from Cream – and they’d have been better without Clapton. So here’s my slightly-cheaty list which includes pre-fame-collaborations and one ‘featuring’.

1. Hurdy Gurdy Man (Donovan, with session players John Bonham, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page from a future Led Zeppelin)
2. Over The Top (Motördamn – brief team up between Motörhead and The Damned)
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, plus metal super-session player Rudy Sarzo & Simon Wright)
4. Flavor (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion featuring Beck and Mike Diamond from The Beastie Boys)
5. Get The Message (Electronic – Bernard Sumner of New Order, Johnny Marr of The Smitsh with Neil Tennant & Chris Lowe from The Pet Shop Boys and Karl Bartos of Kraftwerk.)
6. Yer Blues (Dirty Mac – John Lennon of The Beatles, Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton of Cream and Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience)
7. I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll  (original demo version by Joan Jett with Steve Jones & Paul Cook of The Sex Pistols)
8. As You Said (Cream – Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton of John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers and Ginger Baker of Graham Bond Organization )
9. Shake Appeal – (Vicious White Kids – Sid Vicious and Glen Matlock of The Sex Pistols, Rat Scabies of The Damned, Steve New of The Rich Kids and Nancy Spungen – other line-ups for Sid’s live shows included Mick Jones of The Clash and Jerry Nolan of The New York Dolls)
10. We Love You (The Rolling Stones plus an uncredited John Lennon and Paul McCartney of The Beatles)